Get out and ‘Run Like a Bighorn’ this Saturday

(Lander, Wyo.) – The second annual “Run Like A Bighorn” race will be held Saturday, July 19th at 7 am. Runners should meet at the Sawmill picnic shelter for registration, which starts at 6 am. Participants may also pre-register at the Sinks Canyon State Park Visitor Center. The cost of registration is $20 for adults, and $10 for kids under 13. This cost includes an official race t-shirt and water bottle, along with gifts from our sponsors.

The race route was created by Darrel Trembly, park superintendent. He wanted to give runners “a challenging route; and something for people to remember Bam Bam.” He wanted to give them a chance to “push their limits and see how far they could go on such a demanding course.” The route is also a great way to experience a variety of habitats and geologic features in the State Park. 95 percent of the 5.9-mile race is all on trail, and there is a 1540 foot elevation gain and loss. Runners only have a few hundred yards on the highway. For the race, the park and our sponsors who have volunteered will be stationed at trail junctions and other tricky areas. The course will also be flagged. There will be water stations at three of the junctions.

Thanks to our sponsors, runners will receive an official race t-shirt and water bottle. They will also receive a water bottle from Wind River casino, and merchandise from Wild Iris. The top 5 runners will win a Wild Iris gift certificate. In addition to these prizes, racers and spectators alike can enjoy the bake sale being held at the Visitor Center, just across the road from the finish line. The bake sale will start after the beginning of the race and run through the afternoon. Supporters from the Lander community are donating baked goods to help raise funds for the new Visitor Center.

The run was originally created to raise money for “Bam Bam,” the ram who lived in Sinks Canyon. After he died, the park needed to raise funds to have him mounted for display in the Visitor Center. The money for this cause was raised last summer, so this summer we have a new goal: raising money for a full mule deer mount in the Visitor Center. The park received a grant to remodel the Visitor Center this fall, so any profits from the race will go towards the mule deer mount, an updated Kid’s Corner, better lighting and display graphics, etc. The remodel will be an ongoing process, so we will continue to hold the race every year.

For more on the story of Bam Bam, be sure to look for his feature article in Outdoor Magazine. It is on newsstands and online, and discusses the death of Bam Bam as well as the decline of Bighorn sheep in Sinks Canyon and the Wind River mountains.

Sinks Canyon State Park would like to graciously thank all of our sponsors: Meridian Trust Federal Credit Union, Fremont Motor Company, Wild Iris Mountain Sports, Wind River Casino, State Farm Insurance, and County 10 News. We would especially like to thank the volunteers from Meridian Trust.